Game of Love

Fourteen

"I hate essays!"

Can declared as if Ae didn't know it yet. Ae who was there watching and listening to him all this time ranting about why do they have to do this peer review writing task, their teacher assigned them as a homework.

Can doesn't understand why do they have to expound their thoughts about something when it's better for one to talk less, they're likely to make less mistakes. Also, he doesn't understand how essays will help them get a good job in the future.

The task was given by their English teacher last week, and as a procrastinator himself, he waited till the last minute to do it. It's due today, he thought why do it earlier if he could do it later. As a result, he was cramming. Moreover, he thought he could work better with pressure which apparently not the case. His mind was completely blank and not a single word came up. He's so dead.

"If you just do it instead of barking, you'll be done by now. " Ae driven up the wall by Can. Finally, snapped it. He was struggling himself but opted to get on with it.

"Are you done? "

"Soon, if you shut up. " his eyes still on his paper, scribbling words Can doesn't know and dare not to comprehend. Birds of the same feather flocks together indeed - they are both procrastinators.

Can shed bitter tears, doing the inevitable. He has to focus on his task at hand, the sooner he gets on with it, the sooner he can break away with it. He wanted nothing more than to finish and hand it in for he felt like he was having word spasms and ready to puke text.

Can set his mind and tried to block the unwanted thoughts away to concentrate on his essay. He has to if he doesn't want to fail. He breathed in and out until his mind was calm and his head at peace. He began writing and luckily ideas came rushing. He had his head down on his paper when suddenly a post it appeared in his vision slid down by someone obviously sitting in front of him.

Hi.

It was written on it in bold letters. Can whipped his head up, and frowned. Tin arms crossed on his chest, a pad of orange post it in front. Can decided to ignore him and pretended he wasn't there.

"Can I buy you a drink? " another post it, containing the message, slid by Tin.

"Why don't you just give me the money instead?" Can wrote down under his message - not bothering to look up.

Two 500 baht bills was slid next to his paper by Tin with a note containing, "Sure. "

Squinted and glaring eyes, Can darted his gaze to Tin. He slid it back to him and buried his head on his essay. He's had enough of Tin delaying him.

"What about a date? " Can swore not to give Tin a single attention, not even another glance but the man just won't stop.

"How about no?"

"Tomorrow?"

Can took the note ferociously and wrote, "I'm sick tomorrow. "

Tin brushed his words off, "How about Friday?"

"I'm going to have an unexpected family emergency on Friday."

Tin's eyes on Can gleamed, mouth twitched, he gave Can a once-over before he rested his chin on his palm as the former leaned his elbow on the table to watch Can, for the latter, it was more like to annoy him.

"Saturday?"

Can's eyes narrowed. "I've made plans for Saturday."

Tin gave a lopsided smile. "What plans? "

"It's called none of your business. "

The corner of Tin's mouth quirked up, he sighed as he pull his back to lean on the backrest. "When are you free? "

"Whenever you're not. "

"When do you figure to run out of stupid excuses?"

"Never?"

"Okay, noted. Sunday at 5."

"Did you not read what I wrote? " putting the notes aside, he thought writing wouldn't suffice to express how close he was at reaching his boiling point. Can gritted his teeth as he gawk at Tin - minimizing his voice as they are in the study hall of the library. Tin seemed to care less.

"My reading is very selective and I discern things differently."

Rolling his eyes, Can looked away. "You sure do, " he withdrew — calming himself down.

"For what I understood was, you can't wait to have a date with me. " Tin added, half smiling half not. Can wanted to rip it off his face.

"You wish, " Can flinched, he stared at Tin who was staring back at him —face puzzled.

"What? " they had a staring contest but after a while Can stopped trying, his curiosity got to him.

Tin drew his browser together. "Why do I like you? "

Can fought back his smile for he thought it was a stupid question yet it invoke emotions in him. Did his heart just skip a beat? No. No. No. "You tell me. "

Can probed, he wondered what Tin has to say.

"First, you're an idiot. " Can screwed up his face. What else does he expect from Tin? "You complain a lot, which is most of the time very annoying. You can be bossy."

"Wow, thank you for the compliments. I appreciate it. " fighting back his will to retaliate and Can settled where he was good at —being sarcastic. Can looked and played with the pencil in his hand, rocking it back and forth on the table.

"And you are very sarcastic."

"That's my talent. " Can showed off.

"Thinking about it.." shrugging off Can's remarks, Tin deliberately paused, waiting for Can to spare him a glance as he search for his next words. And when Can did, he said. "There's nothing to like about you. "

Can scowled, and before he could get word out Tin cut in with a serious tone he's heard of him. "..but I like you and I don't think I want you any other way around. "

No.

He wasn't touched.

Can was unaffected by it.

His words meant nothing.

He shouldn't take it to heart.

But before he knew it, he was smiling like a fool so before Can could betray himself even further, he looked down and spoke between his grin.

"Idiot. "